Mississippi State
Baylor
State Splits Sunday Doubleheader
February 18, 2024 | Women's Tennis
STARKVILLE – Mississippi State dropped the first match of a doubleheader to Baylor 4-1 inside the Rula Tennis Pavilion on Sunday.
The loss seemed to linger into doubles of the Bulldogs' late afternoon match against Bellarmine. But after dropping the doubles point to the Knights, MSU changed course and the entire trajectory of the match by reeling off four consecutive wins in singles to secure a 4-1 victory of its own.
"It showed our physicality and our mentality," said head coach Chris Hooshyar. "You can't build anything without those two things being first. So, we're going to continue to build mentally, continue to build physically and keep building from there."
Dharani Niroshan got the Bulldogs back on track in the afternoon match against Bellarmine (6-7) with her straight-set singles victory over Yeva Kramarova 6-2, 6-1. Alexandra Mikhailuk also made short work of Marika Caruk 6-2, 6-1 to give State a 2-1 lead and inched closer to cracking the school's top 10 list in singles wins.
Alessia Tagliente put the Bulldogs on the brink of victory following her 6-4, 6-3 win against Nikola Kollaritsch. Chloé Cirotte was able to clinch the match with a 7-5, 6-4 win over Vendula Kryslova and pushed Mississippi State to 8-2 overall this season.
Athina Pitta was the lone Bulldog to claim victory against Baylor (3-4). Pitta rallied over Liubov Kostenko 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(7). When the Bears clinched the match in a 7-5 third set, Mikhailuk had match point on Court 2 and was Jayna Clemens battling in a third set on Court 5.
"We've got work to do in doubles," Hooshyar said. "We're a little flat-footed, not as aggressive and second guessing a little bit. But those are tennis issues, and we will address those at practice on Tuesday. Baylor is a well-coached team but we fought our you know what's off. Every one of our girls were fighting and it could've gone either way at the end."
The Bulldogs hit the road for a twin bill in The Big Easy on Friday. State takes on Tulane at 1 p.m. followed by a nightcap against New Orleans beginning at 4 p.m.
Baylor 4, Mississippi State 1Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 18, 2024
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Doubles
1. Alexandra Mikhailuk/Athina Pitta (MSU) vs. Sierra Berry/Zuzanna Kubacha (BU) 3-3, unfinished
2. Danielle Tuhten/Miska Kadleckova (BU) def. Dharani Niroshan/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 6-0
3. Isabella Harvison/Liubov Kostenko (BU) def. Chloé Cirotte/Jayna Clemens (MSU) 6-2
Order of finish: (2,3)
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Singles
1. No. 82 Miska Kadleckova (BU) def. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) 6-2, 6-2
2. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) vs. Sierra Berry (BU) 7-6(5), 6-5, unfinished
3. Isabella Harvison (BU) def. Dharani Niroshan (MSU) 6-4, 6-4
4. Athina Pitta (MSU) def. Liubov Kostenko (BU) 1-6, 6-2, 7-6(7)
5. Jayna Clemens (MSU) vs. Danielle Tuhten (BU) 2-6, 6-4, 1-4, unfinished
6. Zuzanna Kubacha (BU) def. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 2-6, 7-5, 7-5
Order of finish: (1,3,4,6)
Mississippi State 4, Bellarmine 1
Rula Tennis Pavilion | Starkville, Miss.
Feb. 18, 2024
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Doubles
1. Alexandra Mikhailuk/Athina Pitta (MSU) vs. Vendula Kryslova/Ekaterina Tikhonko (BELL) 3-4, unfinished
2. Erica Kanna Hagi/Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) def. Dharani Niroshan/Alessia Tagliente (MSU) 6-2
3. Marika Caruk/Yeva Kramarova (BELL) def. Chloé Cirotte/Jayna Clemens (MSU) 6-4
Order of finish: (2,3)
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Singles
1. Maria Rizzolo (MSU) vs. Ekaterina Tikhonko (BELL) 4-6, 6-3, 3-2, unfinished
2. Alexandra Mikhailuk (MSU) def. Marika Caruk (BELL) 6-2, 6-1
3. Chloé Cirotte (MSU) def. Vendula Kryslova (BELL) 7-5, 6-4
4. Athina Pitta (MSU) vs. Erica Kanna Hagi (BELL) 4-6, 6-2, 2-1, unfinished
5. Dharani Niroshan (MSU) def. Yeva Kramarova (BELL) 6-2, 6-1
6. Alessia Tagliente (MSU) def. Nikola Kollaritsch (BELL) 6-4, 6-3
Order of finish: (5,2,6,3)
For more information on the Bulldog women's tennis program, visit HailState.com or search for "HailStateWT" on X, Instagram and Facebook.
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Players Mentioned
